Method for producing articles from film-forming materials



M. A. CH-AVANNES I 2,526,634 METHOD FOR PRODUCING ARTICLES FROM FILM FORMING MATERIALS Oct 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1946 A W W ATTORAZ Y W/wc A 0%: WI /v59 Oct. 24, 1950 CHAVANNE-ZS 2,526,634

' M. METHOD PRODUCING ARTICLES FROM FILM FORMING MATERIALS Filed Feb. 28. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' V JNYENTOR @150 A. CHAW/VA/ES ATTOE Oct. 24, 1950 M. A. cHAvANNEs 2,526,634

METHOD FOR PRODUCING ARTICLES FROM FILM FORMING MATERIALS Filed Feb. 28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 29 F2910 F v Oct. 24, 1950 M. A. HAVANNES 2,526,634

METHOD F0 R CING ARTICLES FRQM FILM F0 NG MATERIALS Filed Feb. 28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNYENTOE MARC A. GHA m e-s ATTOEN Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES FAT METHOD FOR PRODUCING ARTICLES FROM FILM-FORMING MATERIALS Marc A. Chavannes, Lisbon, Cnn., assignor t0 Chavannes Industrial synthetics, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 651,028

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for producing various jacket-like articles and the like.

It is especially applicable to the production of such articles as bags, raincoats, tobacco pouches, gloves, tubes, envelopes, baby pants, life belts, pillow cases and the like of flexible film-like material, such as plastic or rubber film. The expression jacket-like article as used herein will be understood to mean an article comprising at least two sheets of flexible material superposed at least in part, united in at least one area, but separable in at least one area, and the term will cover, among other articles, those listed above.

There have in the past been many attempts to develop inexpensiveprocesses for manufacturing such articles. One common process is first to form flexible sheeting or film of, for example, plastic or rubber composition, and then to out or stamp from this sheeting blanks in the shape of the desired article. These blanks are then arranged in matching pairs and joined at the edges by a seaming or sealing operation. If the blanks comprise/thermoplastic material, a heat sealing method may be used to join the pairs of these blanks around the edges. Sometimes a thermoplastic or other type adhesive is used to seal the edges. In other cases, a sewing operation is used and the seams are covered with a waterproof adhesive band or tape.

Even though methods may be used whereby a large number of pairs of blanks can be sealed at a time, and even though special steps are taken to make it possible to seal curved or iri regular edges, any type of seaming or sealing operation requires considerable time and effort and is relatively expensive. In fact, the cost of this step is very often greater than the cost of the film or sheet materialitself. A further disadvantage is that articles so manufactured are usually structurally weak in the region of the seams or seals.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate all or most of these seaming or sealing operations by a method which effects the junction between the, two films during the process of forming the films.

An advantageous feature of the invention is that in articles produced in accordance with its teachings, the junctions which replace ordinary seals or seams are actually integral junctions of the sheet or film material ..free from the structural weakness usually found at seams or seals. A further feature is that such articles can be manufactured, even if of intricate shape, with greater speed and economy by the proposed method than by previous methods.

In jacket-like articles produced from filmby various previous methods, the seals or junctions are usually found to be extremely irregular when closely examined, and an advantageous feature of the present invention is that its teachings make it possible to produce junctions which are quite uniform in dimensions and characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to produce jacket-like articles with a decorative and useful undulated finish.

Another object of the present invention is to produce jacket-like articles of plastic or rubber film, reinforced or decorated with fabric. Such an article may, for example, comprise an integral inner lining of film-like material having a Y,-1ike integral junction with a projecting fin, and an outer covering of fabric, paper, metal or other reinforcing material which may be stitched through the fin of the inner lining.

A further object is tosproduce on a moving carrier a film of approximately twice the width of the carrier, comprising two superposable sheets of film, each approximately the width of the carrier, the sheets being integrally united one to the other along only one longitudinal edge, so as to be capable of being opened up into .a film of double width.

Further objects, features and advantages will appear from the more detailed description set forth below by way of illustration, which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of apparatus for producing. jacket-like articles, such as rainc'oats-of resinous film. i

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a first layer of film on a carrier, such as would appear in region B of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the rollers shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the first layer 0 film on the carrier, with a design of a relatively non-adhesive substance printed on said film, as same would appear in region C of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the carrier and its various coatings as same would appear in region Dof Fig. 1. s

Fig. 6 is a planview showing the film after havingbeen stripped from the carrier and after having had the articles, such as raincoats, stamped or cut out, as same would appear in region E of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an individual raincoat after the front opening has been cut.

interlayer.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing an uncoated carrier.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a carrier bearing a first layer of film.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing a carrier bearing a first layer of film and a layer of non adhesive substance.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing a carrier bearing a first layer of film, an interlayer of non-adhesive substance, and a second layer of film.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on a larger scale showing the integral junction at the edge of a completed article.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a raincoat sleeve or of a tube-like article, turned inside out so that the fin-like projection at the junction will be on the inside.

Fig. 14 is a plan view showing the carrier bearing a design of film in the shape of a series of raincoats connected by tabs of film.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the articles shown in Fig. 14, after having had a design of non-adhesive substance applied to the raincoats so as to leave an exposed margin thereof, and

Fig. '16 is an enlarged sectional view showing the edge of an article comprising an inner lining of film which has at the edge an integral finlike junction, and an outer covering of fabric, together with a reinforcing tape, stitched through the fin-like portion of the junction.

Fig. 1'7 is a plan view of the article shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of an article compris ng a plurality of superposable sheets of film integrally united along alternate longitudinal edges, ca able of being opened up into a film the effective width of which is greater than that of the individual sheets.

The general steps will now be briefly given of a process illustrating in part the teachings of the present invention, as applied to the production of an article comprising, for example, film made from an organosol of vinyl resin. The

invention will subsequently be described in more a detail.

A film is initially cast as a layer of organosol on a carrier and this film is dried but not fused. Then on this first or bottom film there is printed a design, which is to be an interlayer, in the shape of the desired article, of a substance which adheres but lightly to the film. This design will be smaller than the desired article by a narrow peripheral margin. Then a second or top film, like the first one, is cast over the first layer and The top film will form an integral junction with the bottom film in the regions where the interlayer does not exist, but will be prevented from firmly adhering to the bottom layer in the region of the interlayer. The carrier, bearing the layers of film, is then passed through a drying and fusing oven. The entire film is then stripped from the carrier and is passed through a set of cutting rollers, where the article is cut from the film in such a manner as to cut outside the contours of the nonadhesive interlayer, and since the top film forms a perfect bond with the bottom film where they contact each other, the finished article will have sired, as at the top or open end of a bag, for example.

The invention may be described in more detail as follows:

The bottom and top layers of film, which comprise the main body of the manufactured article, may be made from a wide variety of substances, and the non-adhesive interlayer may be also of a variety of substances which will cause the other layers not to adhere one to'the other.

For example, the main body of the article may be formed from latex, especially of the prevulcanized type, natural rubber in solution, or synthetic rubber such as Buna rubber, Perbunan or butyl rubber, or the like. In case the main body is formed from such rubber-like substances, the interlayer may comprise a film-forming substance of the vinyl resin type, such as plasticized vinyl acetate-chloride copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, or of the alkyd resin type, or of cellulose nitrate, or the like.

It is frequently satisfactory to reverse the arrangements; that is, substances which may satisfactorily serve as an interlayer in one case may in another case be used to comprise the main body of the article, and correspondingly, substances which could serve as the main body of the article could be used as the interlayer. Also, there are other quite satisfactory combinations of substances; for example, one of the most satisfactory combinations is to use for the main body of the article a film made from a dispersion or organosol of vinyl acetate-chloride copolymer, and to use as an interlayer a solution of polyvinyl butyral in butanol, each of which was listed above as a possible interlayer for a bag-like article of rubber-like material.

Some film-forming substances, such as prevulcanized latex, are characteristically non-heatsealable, or incapable of being heat sealed. Others may be termed non-integrally-heat sealable; that is, if two sheets of such material are superposed and subjected to heat and pressure, they will not form an integral bond. If a junction of the sheets is formed, it will be structurally weak and the sheets may be pulled apart at the junction. Such non integrally-heat scalable substances include vinylidene chloride, copolymers of polyvinyl chloride and vinylidene chlo- J ride, and copolymers of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride with molecular weights over 100,000 units. The present invention is especially applicable for producing jacket-like articles the main body of which comprises non-heat-sealable or non-integrally-heat-scalable material.

The present invention is not restricted to the substances listed, but may be used in connection with any combination of substances provided the interlayer will prevent the other two layers from firmly adhering one to the other.

For the purpose of the present detailed illustration it may conveniently be assumed that the articles are to be made of a film cast from an organosol or dispersion comprising a vinyl acetate-chloride copolymer, and that the interlayer will be formed from a solution of polyvinyl butyral in butanol. Methods for preparing such organosols are well known in the art, and various formulas may be used. An illustrative formula for organosol may comprise a vinyl acetatechloride copolymer, a plasticizer, a high boiling diluent and a low boiling diluent. The vinyl acetate-chloride copolymer may conveniently be the product of Carbideand Carbon Chemical Corporation known by the trade name VYNV-l,

or a similar product. Dioctyl phthalate is a'satisfactory plasticizing agent. Xylol, may satisfactorily be used as a high boiling diluent. Instead of Xylol there may be used a treated petroleum solvent comprising approximately 80% aromatics and aliphatics, having a boiling range approximately as follows: 5%, 138 C.; 95%, 168 C. An example of such a solvent is a solvent presently sold by Standard Oil Company of New Jersey under the trade mark Solvesso. As a lower boil ing diluent, there may be used a petroleum distillate having an aromatic content of approximately 9 and having a boiling range approximately as follows: 5%, 123 C.; 95%, 165 C. An example of such diluent is the solvent presently sold by the Anderson-Pritchard Oil Company under the trade mark Apco thinner. These substances have been successfully combined in the following ratio Parts by weight Vinyl acetate-chloride copolymer 1000 Dioctyl phthalate 500 Xylol or Solvesso 200 Apco 490 In a manner well known in the art, to prepare an organosol of the above substances, the various components are milled together in a ball or pebble mill for a considerable length of time and at a controlled temperature. The time of grinding and the optimum temperature will be determined by the nature and ratio of the components. As an example, grinding for about 24 hours may be necessary, and for some mixtures the temperature should be about 100 F. The ratio of plasticizer to resin should be greater than 0.15 to 1, preferably greater than 0.25 to 1, and less than 1.1 to 1.0.

In the following example it may be assumed that the purpose is to produce a raincoat, but it will be understood that the same process and apparatus could be applied but with slight modification to produce a variety of articles.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1. The apparatus makes use of a continuously advancing carrier 23. This carrier may be formed of strong,

relatively heavy paper having applied to one, or

both, of its surfaces a firmly adhering coating of a base material, such as polyvinyl alcohol, casein or the like, capable of providing a smooth outer surface on the carrier to which the film-forming coating will but lightly adhere. The paper or other supporting material may be in the form of a web, that is,.being supplied from one roll and wound up on another roll after being used.

Alternatively, it could be in the form of a continuous belt, or in sheet form. In the illustration which is to follow, it will be assumed to be in the form of a web. The character of the base coating preferably applied to the carrier web will vary with the character of the film to be produced. For instance, a plasticized casein coating has been found well suited for the purpose of a carrier on which a film comprising a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride, is to be formed. Such a base coating may also be used for the production of films of other types of synthetic or natural resins. A polyvinyl alcohol coating ma also be used in the formation of most resinous films but such coating should preferably be heavily filled. In the production of films from other plastic substances, the base coating on the surface of the web should be such as not to react with any solvent used in the film-forming substances and not to be affected by the temperature and'other conthe carrier.

6 l ditions' employed in the process; Moreover, it should be flexible, so as not to crack in normal handling or in its passage through the coater and dryer, and such that the final film may be readily stripped from it. Various thermosetting resins provide suitable base coatings for a large number of different types of films. The web itself, in lieu of being formed of paper, may be formed of other relatively inexpensive, flexible material capable of withstanding the strains and conditions to which it is subjected in the conduct of the process. It may, for example, be formed of a cellulose derivative or of asbestos paper, metal foil, a metal band, fiber glass, or the like.

In case it is desired to use a continuous belt, one preferred embodiment is a strong paper, preferably-of the jute or rope type, of a basis weight of 125 pounds or over. This paper may be coated with a base material comprising three parts of an alkyd to one part melamine, by weight. The alkyd may be the product of American Cyanamid Company known as Resil, or a similar product, and the melamine ma be the product of the same company known by the trade name Melamac, or a similar product. The paper is preferably treated with this base coating at the time of its manufacture. Belts made in this manner may be used many times, such as from to 300 times.

It is assumed that prior to the present process the carrier web has been prepared with its permanently adhering coating. Reference is now made to Fig. 1. As shown the permanentlycoated carrier 26 may be carried by a reel 21. It is drawn from this reel by a rubber-coated roller 22 pressed against the lower surface of This roller rotates in a clockwise direction in the illustrated arrangement so as to urge the carrier toward the right in Fig. 1. Cooperating with this roller is a roller 23 pressed against the upper surface of the carrier at its line of tangency with roller 22. Roller 23 has a smooth, preferabl metallic, surface. As indicated, roller 23 rotates in a clockwise direction 7 so as to oppose th motion of the carrier, but

surface of the carrier.

A roller 24 cooperates with roller 23 and is adjacent but not tangent thereto,.nor is it tangent to the carrier. As indicated, roller 24rotates in a clockwise direction. A trough 25, partly formed by rollers 23 and 24, together with means not shown for damming up the. ends of the trough,

is provided for holding previously-milled organ- .osol such as that mentioned above, and applying the same to roller 23. An even coating. of organosol is thus applied .to roller 23 and is smeared by this roller onto the moving carrier 20 which, as stated, has previously been provided apparatus may take a wide'variety of forms and may incorporate refinements not shown in Fig. 1, but which are well known in the art. Instead of 'using roller coating means, the apparatus could accomplish coating by means of spreaders, sprayers, hoppers or other means.

Means are provided for leaving an uncoated margin along the edges of the carrier to'facilitate stripping the film at a later stage in the process. This may be accomplished by using a carrier which is wider than the effective width of the coating rollers.

After receiving the first uniform organosol layer, the carrier is then passed through a drying oven 28. This oven is maintained at a temperature high enough to cause the diluent to be driven out of the organosol.

Fig. 2 is a plan view representing the carrier 23 bearing a first layer 29 of dried organosol or film as same would appear in region B of Fig. 1 as it leaves the first drying oven.

Reference is again made to Fig. 1. The carrier with its first layer of dried organosol or film is now passed through a set of rollers of the rotogravure type. The purpose of these rollers is to print on the first layer of film a design in the shape of the desired article, but slightly smaller than same. The substance with which this design is printed may be one which has little or no adhesive affinity for the first layer of film when dried. If the top layer of film which is to be applied over the design is of the same substance as the first layer of film, then the design would likewise not be adhesive to the top layer of film when this layer is dried. If the first and top layers are of different substances, it is possible to use a substance for the design or interlayer which will adhere to either the top or the bottom layer, or it could be satisfactory for the design to adhere partly to each layer. Thus the interlayer might satisfactorily have an adhesive affinity for each layer but be weak in tensile strength, so that it does not bind the two layers together. The interlayer need not be perfectly continuous; thus it is possible that the top and bottom layers may form a few bonds or legs extending through the interlayer, which could be easily broken, allowing the films to be separated. The important character istic of the design or interlayer is that it prevents the top and bottom layers from firmly adhering or integrally uniting one with the other in the area of the design.

In the present example, as stated, it is assumed that the design or interlayer is formed from a solution of polyvinyl butyral in butanol.

The polyvinyl butyral may satisfactorily comprise 5 to per cent by weight of the solution, but other ratios may be used.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 for applying the design, a smooth metallic roller 39. cooperates with and is adjacent but not tangent to a similar roller 3! on the left of said roller 30. These two rollers are located above the carrier and are not in contact with it. As shown, they both rotate clockwise; however, the speed and direction of rotation of roller 3|] is adjustable. As in the case of the first-mentioned set of coating rollers, a trough 32. partly formed by rollers 39 and 3 I, to ether with means not shown for damming up the ends of the trough, is provided for holding the non-adhesive substance. This substance may be supplied to trough 32 continuously from any suitable source, such as a mixing vat 33. through a pipe 34. An even coating of nonadhesive substance is supplied from trough 32 to roller 3|. An engraved metallic roller 35, in this illustration, is located on the left of roller 3 l, and cooperates with same. Roller 35 rotates counterclockwise. This roller 35 is engraved with a pattern corresponding to the desired article, as partly shown in Fig. 3, an enlarged plan view of said roller. In the present case the design is that of a raincoat.

Rollers 3| and 35 are located adjacent to each other, their surfaces being separated only by a layer of non-adhesive substance, and as a result of their cooperation, a layer of non-adhesive substance is applied to the engraved roller 35 by the roller 3|. A doctor blade 36 is provided for scraping the non-adhesive substance from the surface of roller 35 in all regions except in the engraved portion.

The surface of roller 35 is in contact with the upper surface of the carrier. A rubber-coated roller 31 is located beneath the carrier and in contact with same, under roller 35. Roller 31 rotates clockwise and grips the carrier so as to advance same toward the right as shown in Fig. l. The non-adhesive substance in the engraved portion of roller 35 is thus transferred to the upper surface of the first layer of film on the carrier, and hence the desired design is printed on the carmen The coated carrier is then passed through another drying oven 38, similar to oven 28.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the carrier 20 bearing the first coating 29 of film and a design 35 printed thereon of non-adhesive substance in the shape of a series of raincoats, as same emerges from drying oven 38 in region C of Fig. 1.

The coated carrier is now passed through another set of coating rollers, 40, 4| and 42, similar to rollers 22, 23 and 24, respectively. This set of rollers is supplied with organosol of the type used with the first set, by means of trough 43, mixing tank M, and pipe 45, the operation of which is similar to the coating means used in forming the first layer of organosol.

A coating of organosol is thus applied to the exposed portion of the first film and to the design. When dried, this top coating or film will be integrally united with the first film except in the regions where the non-adhesive design or interlayer exists.

The coated carrier is then passed through an oven 46 with drying and fusing sections 45a and 55b, the operation of which is well known in the art of making films from dispersions or organosols.

The appearance of the coated carrier in region D of Fig. 1 when it emerges from the drying and fusing oven is shown in Fig. 5, a plan view.

The dotted line 39a represents the outline of the interlayer of non-adhesive substance. The dashed line 39b represents a line just outside the periphery of the interlayer, along which, in a manner to be described, the film will eventually be cut, leaving a margin between lines 39a and 392) wherein the films are integrally united.

The carrier bearing the film is then passed over a tensioning roller 41 and through a set of cooperating rollers 48 and 49. The film is stripped from the carrier as it emerges from rollers 48 and 49, which serve as part of the tensioning system and also part of the stripping system. The initial stripping may be done by hand, and the carrier may be attached to and Wound upon a reel 5e.

- The stripped film is passed through a set of cutting rollers 5i and 52. These rollers cut the film along the outer line 391) shown in 5.

The raincoats will thus be removed from the film and may be carried on the surface of roller 52, falling or being removed from same. The apearance of the remaining film, as at region E, is shown in plan view in Fig. 6. This film is then passed under a tensioning roller 53 and is wound upon a reel 54, as shown in Fig. 1. A raincoat 54a is shown falling from roller 52.

Itis observed in Fig. that the line 39b,along which the film is cut, may actually traverse the non-adhesive layer in regions where the raincoat has openings, such as at the lower or open ends of the sleeves, at the bottom of the coat and at the collar. In order to provide the front open,- ing, the upper film only will, in a separate operation, be cut up the front. The appearance of the complete raincoatis shown in a perspective View in Fig. '7. If desired, the entire garment may be turned inside out in order that the junction may be on the inside instead of on the outside.

Obviously, if cutting means. such as the cutting rollers 5i and 52 are used, great care must be taken to insure that the cutting rollers properly register with'the design. Instead of using cutting rollers, a die-stamping device could be used, in

which case provision would have to be made to prevent relative motion between the film and the cutting die during the stamping. In order that means.

vFigs. 8 through 11 show the steps in producing an integral junction of two layers of film. All of these figures aresectional views through the carrier and various layers. In these figures there is considerable distortion of the relative thicknesses of the component layers. In particular, the interlayer of non-adhesive material is shown to be considerably thicker than it actually is in relation to the other components. For simplicity, the carrier is shown as a whole, with no dividing line between the web or belt itseli'and its permanently-adhering coating of base material.

Theuncoated carrier 29, as in region A of Fig. 1, is shown in Fig. 8.

The carrier 29, bearing the previously-mentioned first layer of film 29, as in region B of Fig. 1, is shown in Fig. 9. V In Fig. 10 there is shown the carrier 29 bearing its first coat of film 29 andthe layer of nonadhesive substance 39.

In Fig. 11 is shown the carrier 29 bearing its first film 29, the layer of non-adhesive substance 39, and the second layer of film thereon, as same would appear in region D of Fig. 1. This second layer of film may be designated by the numeral 55.

Fig. 12 represents an enlarged section through an edge of theraincoat or other article after it has been stripped from the carrier and cut along the dashed line 39?) indicated in Fig. 5, outside theperiphery of the interlayer. It is to be noted that layers 29 and 55 form a junction which is completely integral and continuous,and that the junction has a projecting fin 55a.

The shape of the junctioncould also be described as generally Y-like, the top and bottom films comprising the arms of the Y and the finlike portion 55a'comprising the base of the Y.

It would of course be possible by the teachings of the present invention to produce junctions which are not at the edge of the article, in which case a cross section through the junction might be in the form of a double Y, or a base with a pair of arms at either end.

As shown in Fig. 12, the top and bottom films may be of unequal thickness, or they may be of equal thickness.

It is also possibleto use different film-forming substances for the top and bottom layers, provided they are mutually adhesive.

The top and bottom films may in some embodiments be generally parallel near the junction, or they may flare apart as they leave the fin.

The inner or adjacent surfaces of the films con- -verge or are brought together in a fillet-like region, and the farthest extension of this region into the fin as shown in the cross sectional view of Fig. 12 is designated by the numeral 56 and may be called the innermost junction of the arms of the Y.

The shape of the fillet-like region results from the shape of the edge or boundary of the interlayer of non-adhesive substance. Because of surface tension of the interlayer, its edge is not knifelike, and is not square in cross section, but is somewhat rounded. The rounded region is asymmetric about a mid-plane of the interlayer. This is true because the interlayer rests on a first layer of dried, unyielding film, While the top layer has not yet been applied and hence the interlayer is free to bulge outward and upward at the edge as its surface tension tends to draw it into a spherical shape.

The process and product of the present invention are quite different from other processes and products in this general field. One of the ways the product differs from heat-sealing processes, for example, is in the integrality of the junction which may be formed with the present process. As previously mentioned, there are a number of substances which are completely non-heat-sealable, and other substances which are non-integrally heat-scalable, but if instead of heat-sealing methods, the process of the present invention is used, articles having completely integral junctions can be formed from a number of these substances. An integral junction produced by the teachings of the present invention has great strength; if the component films are put under tension one with respect to'the other, the Y-like junction will not split lengthwise down the base of the Y. That is, the films will not separate along a plane between them'extending longitudinally into the fin.

The depth of the fin may be defined as the dimension d1 shown in Fig. 12. Since junctions may be under unusual stress and may be subject to considerable wear, the depth of the fin in order to provide a reinforcing effect should be greater than the thickness of one of the films, and if desired, a number of times greater than same. Thus if the junction is considered Y-like in cross section, the fin-like portion comprising the base of the Y should project from the point 56, the

a later point there may be small variations in the thickness of the fin toward its extreme edge it is generally preferable that the fin be of uniform thickness for a depth from point 56 greater than the thickness of one of the films. The nature of the coating system used in applying the upper coating of organosol is such that the upper surface of this coating is smooth and does not the thicknesses of the component films. the interlayer may be less than one ten-thousandth of an inch in thickness, or may even be conform to any irregularities such as those represented by the presence of the interlayer in some regions and its absence in others. Although toward the extreme edge of the layers of organosol there may be surface tension effects which produce slight variations in thickness, these regions do not fall within the fin at all when articles are produced by the method described above. That is, these areas are part of the trimmed-away film shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 12, therefore, the fin may have generally straight and parallel upper and lower boundaries and a generally straight boundary at the outer edge, generally perlpendicular to the upper and lower boundaries,

thereby providing two corners which are nearly square as viewed in cross section.

The magnitude of the thickness dimension d2 of the fin is observed to be the sum of the thicknesses of the upper and lower films, plus the thickness of the interlayer.

very thin, which it may be, the thickness of the fin will be just slightly greater than the sum of Thus only a few molecules thick.

Because of various practical difficulties, the

thickness of the interlayer should ordinarily be less than mils.

Consequently, the thickness of the fin should be slightly greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the films, but not more than 26 mils greater than same, throughout a. depth measured from point 56 greater than the thickness of one of the films.

It is also to be observed that the interlayer used in the present process may if desired be quite fragile, or non-self-supportable, since it is at all times during the manufacturing process supported by the first film, at all points. Furthermore, since the interlayer is supported in this manner, it is possible to produce a completely enclosed envelope-like structure, free from any openings for external supports for an interlayer.

The ultimate disposition of the interlayer may be handled in diiferent ways. One possible method is to use an interlayer more elastic than the top and bottom films. In this case the interlayer may permanently adhere to either or both of the films. Ehis embodiment is illustrated in the example given above, wherein polyvinyl butyral is used as an interlayer and the films comprise a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride. In this case, it is possible to separate the top and bottom films, and to allow the interlayer to remain on the surface of one or both films.

Another method of disposing of the interlayer is to make it from a substance which can be dissolved without injury to the films. Thus if the interlayer is of polyvinyl alcohol, it can readily be dissolved in water. Regardless of the disposition which is to be made of the interlayer, the substance from which it is made, and the composition of the top and bottom films should be so chosen that durin the process of manufacture the solvent of the interlayer will not attack the first layer, and no diluent in the top layer of organosol will attack the interlayer.

Another way of disposing of the interlayer is to make it of very strong material which may be physically removed, as by peeling the top and bottom layers of film away therefrom. In this method, for example, the top and bottom films may be made from layers of organosol of 1 to If the interlayer is 'milsin thickness, and the interlayer may be of polyvinyl alcohol'or polyvinyl butyral, the thickness of which is mil or greater.

It is also possible to use an interlayer which will flake off, or which may be readily brushed away or removed by other means.

some interlayers which may satisfactorily be used may have an adhesive affinity for some substances but little or none relative to the top or That is, they may be relatively non-adhesive to one of these films.

Instead of using only one interlayer, it is also possible to use multiple interlayers. Thus a first interlayer could be used which is adhesive to the first or bottom film, and a second interlayer could be superposed thereon which is not adhesive to the first interlayer but is adhesive to the second or top film.

When the article is completed, the top and bottom layers may be separated in the separable region by various means; for example, some type of suction might be applied to opposite sides in order to pull them apart. Similarly, they could be temporarily engaged by some apparatus elements to which adhesive has been applied, and thus pulled apart. Still another method, especially applicable for bag-like articles, is to insert a needlelike element between the walls and blow air into the cavity, thereby separating the walls.

The article of the present invention can be used with the fin on the outside or the entire article may be turned inside-out in order that the fin may be on the inside. Fig. 13 shows in crosssection the appearance of a raincoat sleeve, for

-' example, which has been reversed in this manner.

In order to avoid wasting material, such as that shown in Fig. 6, the present invention may be modified in the following manner. Instead of casting a continuous first layer of organosol, there is provided on the carrier a first design of organosol the size and shape of the finished garment. This may be accomplished by substituting for rollers 22, 23 and 24 a set of rotogravure rollers perhaps similar to the set 30, 3|, 35, and 31. Fig. 14 shows the appearance of the carrier bearing this design. It is observed that the design is such that there are tabs or links of organosol between the various garments, to be used in stripping. The carrier is then passed through a drying oven such as 28, and there is then printed thereon a non-adhesive design in the shape of the garment, but slightly smaller than same. Care is taken to make, certain that this second design registers properly with the first design, leaving a margin around the outer edge, as shown in Fig. 15. If desired, openings in the garment, such as at the cuff-ends of raincoat sleeves, may he provided by running the interlayer design out to the edge of the first film in certain regions. The coated carrier is passed through a drying oven after receiving the layer of non-adhesive substance, and there is printed thereon a design of organosol which registers with the first. The coated carrier is then passed through a drying and fusing oven, and the articles are stripped from the carrier, the tabs or links causing one garment to help strip the next one. Openings may then be out in the articles if not already provided for, and the tabs may be cut away. In some cases the tabs may be left on the garments until they are shipped to some remote point, where they may be later removed.

The..extreme edge of the fin-like junction formed by this last-described process will be affected in shape by the surface tension of the organosol. Thus the upper outer corner of the fin will be rounded and hence the fin will not be of exactly uniform thickness all the way to its extreme outer edge. In spite of this small effect at the edge, the fin should be of uniform thickness for a depth greater than the thickness of one of the films, as measured from the innermost junction of the Y. That is, the irregularity occurs beyond this uniform region.

Throughout most of the fin made by the lastdescribed process, the magnitude of its thickness is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the two films plus the thickness of the interlayer, as was true in the case of the first-described process.

- Another modification of the present invention may be used in case it is desired to produce a bag-like article with a decorative and useful undulated finish. In this case, a film undulated on one side is first prepared by means described in pending application Serial No. 635,982. This film is then temporarily applied to a carrier, undulated side down, with an adhesive. There is then printed on the smooth side of the film a design of non-adhesive material, as described previously in the present application, and this design is then dried. A continuous layer of organosol is then cast over this first film and design, and this layer is given an undulated finish by the same means as was the first layer. The carrier and its various layers are dried and fused, and the film stripped from the carrier. The articles may then be out out as described previously in this application, leaving a sealed margin around the edges, as desired. The completed article will thus have an undulated finish on its outside. A similar bag-like article, undulated on only one side of its exterior, may be produced more easily if the first layer is not undulated and is not stripped from the carrier. Swelling agent will then be applied only to the top layer of organosol.

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional 'view of an'edge of a very useful article shown in plan view in Fig. 17, which may be produced by the teachings of the present invention. The entire article may, for example, be a water-proof bag of great 6!; If desired, the article may be left in this manner, the outer layers of fabric serving as decorative and reinforcing coverings.

If desired, in order to improve the strength of the article, layers 51 and 60 may be stitched or otherwise fastened through the fin-like portion 61 of the junction of films 58 and 59. Since the stitching does not puncture the films orwalls themselves, the article will have at the junctions waterproof or airtight properties as good as those possessed by the film. For still further strength and decorative properties, instead of stitching layers 51 and 6! directly through the fin, a tape 62 may be lapped around the edge and stitched through layers 51, 6B and the fin 6!. Other similar arrangements are likewise possible.

The present invention may satisfactorily be used in making articles from unvulcanized rubstrength. It may comprise an inner lining 'of film having fin-like junctions of thetype previously described and an outer reinforcing covering of fabric, paper, metallic foil, or other reinforc v ing'flexible sheet-likematerial. V 7

To produce such an article, a layer of fabric 51 may first be laid down on'a supporting" surface or moving carrier, or'if desired, this fabric may itself be the carrier. A layer of organosol or other film-forming material may then be-applied to this fabric layer and dried This layer will form a film 58. A layer of relativelynon-adhee sive substance may then be printed on film 58, leaving an exposed marginal area, in the manner previously described. This last-mentioned layer may then be dried. This layer is not shown in Fig. 16, because it is there assumed to have been removed. Another layer of film-forming mate= rial may then be applied to the exposed area of film 58 and to the layer of relatively non-adhesive material. Before drying this upper layer of film-forming material, a layer of fabric may be laid into or onto it. This upper layer of film'- forming material may then be dried, forming a film 55, and the article may be fused. The upper layer of fabric, which may be designated by the numeral 58, will become bonded to film 59,and layer of fabric will become bonded to film 53..- Films 58 and 59 will unite in a finelilge portion,

her. The articles may be made and junctions therein formed very rapidly by the present process, and then the entire article may be vulcanized. A considerable saving in time is effected over older processes wherein vulcanization under pres sure for a relatively long time was necessary.

As previously stated, one of the objects of the invention is to produce on a moving carrier a film of approximately twice the width of the carrier, comprising two superposable sheets of film, each approximately the width of the carrier, the sheets being integrally united one to the other along only one longitudinal edge, so as to be capable of,

being opened up into a film of double width. It will be understood from the description of the process given in connection with Figs. 8 through 11 that such an article is produced when the non-adhesive coating is applied to all portions of the first layer of film except a margin at one longitudinal edge of this layer. In case it is desired to produce a series of sheets integrally joined at alternate edges, as illustrated in Fig. 18, there may be applied to the second layer of a non-adhesive substance, leaving the opposite longitudinal margin exposed, A third layer of film-forming substance is applied thereover, and the steps can be repeated to form any number of sheets integrally joined at alternate edges.

While a, suitable form of apparatus and mode of procedure, to be used in accordance with the invention, and various improved products resulting therefrom have been described in some detail, and certain modifications have been suggested, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A method of forming jacket-like articles having a wall of clear film and a wall of film with an undulated surface, said method comprising the of formingcn a continuously advancing, flexible, carrier with a first layer of an crganosol comprising a plasticizer and a vinyl resin, drying said layer, applying to an area of said firs layer a second layer formed of a relatively nonadhesive substance so as to leave an area of said first layer exposed, applying to at least part of said second layer and to at least part of the exposed area of said first layer a third layer of an organosol, applying a swelling'agentto said third layer, and drying and fusing said layers.

2. A method of forming articles comprising a series of superposable flexible sheets of film joined one to the next at alternate edges capable of being opened up into a sheet-like article the width of which is approximately equal to. the sum of the widths of said sheets, said methodcon prising the steps of forming on an advancing carrier web a first layer of a film-forming substance, applying to said first layer a second layer of a non-adhesive substance so as to leave an exposed margin at one edge of said first layer, applying to said second layer and to the exposed margin of said first layer a third layer of said film-forming substance, forming similar successive alternate layers of non-adhesive substance and said film-forming substance, in such a manner as to form successive layers of film joined marginally one to the next at alternate edges, drying said layers, and stripping said layers from said carrier web.

3. A method of forming tubing comprising the steps of applying to a continuously advancing carrier web a continuous, fiat, first layer of a film-forming substance, drying said first layer, applying to said first layer a layer of a relatively non-adhesive substance so as to leave exposed lengthwise marginal areas of said first layer, drying said layer of relatively non-adhesive sub stance, applying to said layers a continuous top layer of a film-forming substance so as to register at the edges with said first layer, drying said top layer to form continuous tubing and stripping said tubing from said carrier.

4. A method of forming jacket-like articles having at least one opening at a margin, comprising the steps of printing on an advancing carrier 9, first layer of a film-forming substance in the shape of the desired article, printing on an area of said first layer including a portion of a margin thereof where an opening is desired, a second layer of a soluble, non-adhesive second substance but leaving exposed an area of said first layer running marginally along part of the perimeter of said first layer, printing on said layers another layer of film-forming substance in such a position that the perimeter of said lastmentioned layer is generally in alignment with the perimeter of said first layer, drying each of said layers upon formation, stripping said articles from said carrier, and removing said second layer by dissolving same.

5. A method of forming articles having walls of at least two superposable, fiexible, fiat sheets of film joined at at least one edge in a fin-like junction but separable in an area between the faces of said sheets, said method comprising the steps of applying a first layer of film-forming substance to an area extending longitudinally of a continuously advancing flat fiexible carrier web, to form a unitary interconnected body of film extending longitudinally of said carrier, roll-- ing onto a selected area of said first layer ex tending longitudinally thereof a layer of nonadhesive substance, so as to leave exposed longitudinal marginal portion of said first layer, applying a second layer of film-forming substance over the exposed portion of said first layer and over said non-adhesive layer, and stripping said layers as an interconnected body in a continuous operation from said carrier.

6. A method of forming jacket-like articles comprising the steps of forming on a continuously advancing carrier web a first flat layer of a film-forming substance extending continuously along the length of said carrier, printing nonadhesive substance on selected areas of said first layer spaced apart along the length of said carrier so as to leave areas of said first layer exposed, applying over at least part of said non-adhesive substance and over at least part of the exposed area of said first layer a third layer of a filmforming substance having a strong adhesive afilnity for said first layer, drying each layer upon its formation, and stripping said layers from said carrier. r

7. A method of forming articles comprising two fiat walls of film joined in a fin-like junction toward one edge, said method comprising the steps of applying to an advancing carrier 9, layer of film-forming substance extending continuously along said carrier, said layer comprising alternate wall portions and interconnecting portions arranged along said carrier, said wall portions being shaped in approximately the shape of one wall of said articles, said interconnecting portions serving to aid in subsequent stripping of said articles from said carrier, applying to areas of said wall portions a non-adhesive substance so as to leave exposed marginal areas thereof, applying film-forming substance thereover so as to cover areas to which said non-adhesive substance was applied and said marginal areas, drying said layers, stripping said layers as a single interconnected body from said carrier, and severing said interconnecting portions from other portions of said body.

8. A method of forming elongated articles having a marginal continuous seam of any desired length, said method comprising advancing a fiat flexible endless carrier belt, applying film-form ing substance to said carrier belt as it advances, as a layer extending along said belt, printing on an area of said layer spaced from one of its longitudinal boundaries a longitudinally-extending layer of non-adhesive substance so as to leave exposed a longitudinal marginal area of said first r layer, applying a longitudinally-extending layer of film-forming substance over said marginal exposed area of said first layer and over said nonadhesive layer, drying said layers, and stripping said layers from said carrier belt.

9. A method of forming flat jacket-like articles comprising the steps of forming on a continuously-advancing carrier web a first fiat layer of a film-forming substance, applying to a predetermined selected area of said first layer a second layer of a non-adhesive substance so as to leave an area of said firstlayer exposed, printing on at least part of said second layer and on at least part of the exposed area of said first layer a third layer of a film-forming substance having a strong adhesive affinity for said first layer to form walls of film bonded together in one area but separate in another area, stripping said layers together from said carrier, and forming a permanent opening leadin into the space between said walls of film from the exterior thereof.

10. A method as in claim 9 in which said opening is of sufiicient size that the entire article may be turned inside out through said opening.

11. A method as in claim 10 including the step of turning said article inside out.

12. A method of forming articles comprising two superposable flexible fiat walls joined toward at least one edge in a fin-like junction, said method comprising the steps of applying to a continuously advancing carrier a flat layer of film-forming substance, applying non-adhesive substance to a portion of said layer but leaving exposed a portion thereof, applying another flat layer of film-forming substance over said nonadhesive substance and over said exposed portion of said first layer, drying said layers, and cutting at least one wall of said article along a substantially straight line to form an opening into said article.

13. A method of forming jacket-like articles comprising two flat walls of flexible film joined in a fin-like junction toward an edge, said articles having a marginal opening at a portion of one edge, said method comprising the steps of applying to a continuously advancing carrier a first long continuous flat layer .of film-forming substance having substantially straight boundaries running parallel to the edges of said carrier, printing non-adhesive substance on selected areas of said first layer, applying another layer of film-forming substance in registry with said first layer, drying said layers, stripping said layers together as a continuous web from said carrier, and severing said articles from said web along paths running marginally outside a portion of the boundary of said non-adhesive substance in some regions and running marginally inside said boundary in other regions, to form articles having fin-like junctions in some regions but having openings at their edges in other regions.

14. A method of forming articles, at least a portion of each of said articles being shaped in the general form of a tube having a slit wall, said method comprising applying a first layer of film-forming substance to a carrier, applying a non-adhesive interlayer to a central portion 'of said first layer but leaving exposed'marginal areas thereof running generally lengthwise of said carrier, app-lying another layer of film-forming substance approximately in registry with said first layer, drying said layers, and slitting one of said dried layers lengthwise.

15. A method of forming an article comprising two superposa-ble, flexible, fiat sheets of film, joined at a portion of their margins in a fin-like junction but separable in an area including another portion of their margins,fsaid method comprising the steps of applying to a continuouslyadvancing, flexible, flat, carrier web at a first station, a first, flat layer of film-forming sub stance, applying to an area of said first layer including a zone at a margin thereof a non-adhesive substance, so as to leave exposed another zone at a margin of said first layer, applying to said layers aflat layer of film-forming substance covering at least a portion of said non-adhesive layer and at least a portion of said exposed zone of said first layer, drying said layers, and stripping said layers from said carrier web, whereby a marginal opening will be formed in said firstmentioned zone; J

16. A method of forming articles comprising at least two superposable, flexible, flat sheets of film, joined at at least a portion of an edge of one of said sheets in a fin-like junction but separable in an area'including a zone at an edge of one of said sheets, said method comprising the steps of applying to a continuously advancing flat carrier web in an area thereof Where a first 18 of said sheets of film is tobe formed a first layer of film-forming substance, applying a non-adhesive substance to said first layer of film-forming substance so as to cover same in one area thereof but to leave another area thereof exposed, said exposed area including a marginal portion of said first layer toward one longitudinal edge of said carrier web, applying to said layers another layer of film-forming substance over at least some of said exposed portion and some of said covered portion of said first layer, drying said layers, and stripping said layers together from said carrier, said non-adhesive substance extending to an edge of at least one of said sheets of film so as to cause said sheets to be separable at said edge.

17. A method of forming generally flat articles comprising a first wall and a second wall opposed thereto, of flexible film, separable in a region between said walls including a zone at the edge of said walls, but united in a fin-like junction along part of the margins of said walls, said method comprising the steps of printing filmforming substance on a plurality of areas spaced apart along a continuously advancing carrier, each of said areas having the shape desired for saidfirst wall, drying said substance to form a series of first walls, printing non-adhesive substance on an area of each of said first walls having the shape of said desired separable region so as to leave exposed a marginal area thereof, printing in registration with each of said first walls a layer of film-forming substance, and drying said last-applied layer to form a second wall for each of said articles.

MARC A. CHAVANNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 391,802, Ciisters (A. P. 0.), published April 27, 1943. 

1. A METHOD OF FORMING JACKET-LIKE ARTICLES HAVING A WALL OF CLEAR FILM AND A WALL OF FILM WITH AN UNDULATED SURFACE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FORMING ON A CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING FLEXIBLE, CARRIER WITH A FIRST LAYER OF AN ORGANOSOL COMPRISING A PLASTICIZER AND A VINYL RESIN, DRYING SAID LAYER, APPLYING TO AN AREA OF SAID FIRST LAYER A SECOND LAYER FORMED OF A RELATIVELY NONADHESIVE SUBSTANCE SO AS TO LEAVE AN AREA OF SAID FIRST LAYER EXPOSED, APPLYING TO AT LEAST PART 